There are new mandatory water restrictions in place for those in the 32 water districts handled by San Joaquin County government. They are:• Addresses ending in even numbers can irrig...

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Water restrictions

There are new mandatory water restrictions in place for those in the 32 water districts handled by San Joaquin County government. They are:

• Addresses ending in even numbers can irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

• Odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

• No outdoor irrigation is allowed on Mondays.

• Draining and refilling of pools require approval from the county Public Works Department.

• Buckets must be used when washing vehicles, and rinsing must be limited to three minutes.

These are on top of existing water restrictions, including prohibiting irrigation between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. To report violations, people can call (209) 468-3000 or go online to sjgov.org/GORequest.

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STOCKTON - The continuing drought prompted local officials to declare a state of emergency and impose mandatory water restrictions in parts of the county, including unincorporated areas near Stockton.

The restrictions put in place by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors at its meeting Tuesday limit landscape irrigation to three days a week and list other requirements for filling pools and washing cars.

"The drought continues, and there's no relief in sight," board Chairman Bob Elliott said. It's at the point where "everyone needs to do their part to conserve as much as they possibly can to get through this situation as best we can."

The move institutes relatively tough restrictions in the area but applies only to water districts handled by the county government. The largest is in Lincoln Village, with 1,777 households and other facilities connecting to the water system.

The rules approved on a 5-0 vote are among the most stringent in the county, though supervisors are not the first to take relatively aggressive action. The conservation measures followed emergency regulations issued by the state last month ordering water suppliers to implement mandatory conservation measures.

Last month, the county introduced a new ordinance that built on existing, permanent conservation measures and laid out the framework for increasingly severe restrictions on water use during an emergency. The board voted to institute the new ordinance before voting to impose the first of four stages laid out in the new ordinance.

Violators could see their water pressure reduced, their water turned off or fines of up to $1,000. But enforcement starts with a warning.

The goal is education and compliance, not penalties, Public Works Deputy Director Fritz Buchman said. Enforcement will be mostly complaint-driven, he said. "If we get complaints or maintenance notices something, we may take enforcement action."

First, however, the county will send out letters to all its customers to let them know of the changes, though the new rules went into effect immediately on Tuesday, he said. The rules cover 32 water districts with a total of 5,968 connections, according to the Public Works Department. Most connections are to homes.

Mountain House residents are not included in that number, but they now face 20 percent mandatory reductions in water use. It's not lip service; residents must file appeals if they will not be able to meet that goal, said Gabe Karam, interim director of the Mountain House Community Services District. Outdoor irrigation in Mountain House is now limited to three days per week.

Residents have responded, Karam said, slashing their water use 21 percent in July 2014 compared with July 2013, he said.

About 50 homeowners in the 4,000-home community have filed appeals to the 20 percent goal, he said. An example might be if another person moves into an existing household, increasing water demands.

"We have amazing residents here, and they're doing everything they can to help us meet the ordinance," Karam said.

In Tracy, city officials on Tuesday will consider a less aggressive measure that would limit outdoor watering to 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. Typically, that's a voluntary measure, officials there said. This is the first time since the drought of the early 1990s that it will be mandatory.

Stockton has its own rules, allowing watering only between 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. But that's a status quo measure that is in place every summer, drought or no.

Even people who don't face mandatory restrictions should know it is important to conserve water, Supervisor Ken Vogel said, noting that he has heard from some farmers and residents in rural areas of the county who have had to dig deeper to reach groundwater.

"It's affecting all of us," he said.

Contact reporter Zachary K. Johnson at (209) 546-8258 or zjohnson@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/johnsonblog and on Twitter @zacharykjohnson.

Contact reporter Alex Breitler at (209) 546-8295 or abreitler@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/breitlerblog and on Twitter @alexbreitler.